Fabrication and characterisation of thin low-temperature MBE-compatible silicon oxides of different stoichiometry

We developed and tested three MBE-compatible processes for the deposition o f high-quality low-temperature silicon oxides and oxynitrides in the ultra high vacuum at substrate temperatures between room temperature and 500 degr ees C, gas enhanced evaporation (GEE), plasma enhanced evaporation (PEE) an d plasma enhanced oxidation (PEO). The deposited layers were thoroughly inv estigated and compared with respect to their electrical, optical and stoich iometrical properties by means of ellipsometry, mechanical profilometry, Au ger electron spectroscopy (AES), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), Ru therford backscattering (RBS), Fourier transform infrared ((FTIR) spectrosc opy, and by electrical measurements (I-V, C-V) on MOS structures. A model o f the growth mechanism for each of the processes is suggested. (C) 1999 Els evier Science Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.